


What Matters Most

by CreamyXD



Series: Love and Family [1]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Complete, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, Fluff, Gen, Swearing because of Hank, cole is alive
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-17
Packaged: 2019-06-09 02:56:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15257889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreamyXD/pseuds/CreamyXD
Summary: Set in an AU where Cole never dies from the accident and lives a happy, quiet life with his dad, Hank Anderson.Connor is the android sent by Cyberlife. He's the deviant hunter, the merciless detective assigned to partner with Lieutenant Hank Anderson at the DPD. He's cold and calculated, the most advanced model designed by Cyberlife to date. However, when he meets Cole and Hank Anderson he realizes that there's more to the world than his programming. There are things that are more important than his mission.Things such as love and family.





	1. Coin Tricks

**Author's Note:**

> So, this AU was meant to be just pure fluff. I had these 'what if' thoughts about how Connor and Cole would be like if they met so I made this AU. It was just supposed to be a collection of one-shots where Cole never died and so Hank is happy then Connor comes in and they're just this big happy family BUT NOPE! The angst had to come in! Connor had to start having a personal crises and the story turned to this... Oops. 
> 
> I had lots of fun writing this, but why does everything I write turn into angst????
> 
> I hope you'll all enjoy it anyways. This is my first time writing for this fandom so I'm looking forward to seeing what people think of this story. Constructive criticism is always appreciated!

Connor steps out of the taxi, feeling the rain come down against his face as he stares at the small house in front of him. The car is parked haphazardly outside on the driveway, leaving tire marks on the unkempt lawn. The blinds are drawn over the window, but light still filters through the cracks indicating that someone is home.

Connor walks up to the front door and knocks. "Lieutenant Anderson?" he calls, waiting for a few seconds as he listens for any source of noise. When he hears none he reaches for the buzzer, giving it a quick push. "Anybody home?" he calls again, frowning when there's no reply.

He's about to reach for the buzzer again when suddenly he hears the sound of footsteps on the other side. The door opens just a crack, revealing a small boy standing behind the door, watching Connor curiously. With a quick analysis Connor confirms the boy's identity. Cole Anderson. Hank's son. He notices the boy's eyes looking him up and down, first going to the band on his arm then towards the model number on his chest. The boy shuts the door in his face, causing Connor's LED to flare yellow for a brief moment at the noise. He's about to knock on the door again when he hears a shout from inside.

"Dad? Dad!" a voice - Cole's voice Connor assumes - yells excitedly. "Did you finally buy an android?!"

"What?!" Another voice - one that Connor recognizes as his partner's - yells back, "what android? I didn't buy an android!"

The door opens again, Cole's head is peeking out to look at Connor once more. His expression is a little sad as he stares at Connor. "I'm sorry. My dad says he didn't buy an android. I think you're at the wrong house."

Connor tilts his head, smiling down at the boy. "I'm Lieutenant Anderson's partner from work. My name is Connor."

Cole shuts the door again before shouting back into the house. "It says it's name is Connor!"

Connor hears a groan on the other side of the door. There's some cluttering and shuffling coming from inside the house before footsteps - heavier ones - approach. Suddenly, the door is thrown open, revealing Hank staring up at him with a dumbfounded expression. The detective is wearing an apron, grey T-shirt and shorts underneath, while he holds a spatula aloft in his hand. He frowns at the android, clearly annoyed at seeing him outside his home. Cole peers around his father's leg, watching the android curiously. "What the f-" Hank stops himself before rephrasing, "What are you doing here?"

"A homicide was reported 43 minutes ago at a sex-"

"At a skiing club!" Hank cuts in, giving his son an awkward smile. "A homicide at a skiing club. Yup, happens all the time."

"It wasn't a skiing club. It was a-" Connor stops himself when he sees a glare being sent his way from Hank.

"Cole," Hank turns to his son, "could you please wait in the kitchen?"

The boy stares up at Hank for a moment, clearly reluctant to go, but with one more 'please' from Hank he nods and heads into the kitchen. Hank lets out a breath then turns back to Connor, pushing him further out the door before stepping outside and shutting the door behind him. "Don't you have any kind of fucking filter for that mouth of yours?" Hank hisses quietly, making sure his voice couldn't be heard from inside the house. "You can't talk about a sex club in front of a nine year old!"

"I was only informing you about the details of the case." Connor answers blankly, clearly not understanding the do's and don'ts of raising a child.

"Not when the kid's around! He hears a word he doesn't know and a minute later he's asking me what it means. I am not prepared to tell him about the birds and the bees just yet."

Connor tilts his head. "Birds and the bees?"

Hank stares at the android for a moment before rolling his eyes and letting out a groan because he is not about to explain what that means to a fucking android. "You know what? Never mind. Just give me the details for the case."

Connor gives him the lowdown on the most recent homicide and when he's finished speaking Hank sighs, running a hand through his hair. "The man just had to die in the middle of dinner time," he grumbles, turning towards his house. Hank opens the door, but turns back around just before he heads inside. "No talk about the case with Cole around. Got it? Otherwise, wait outside."

"Whatever you say, Lieutenant," Connor replies with a small smile that makes Hank groan in annoyance.

The moment they enter Connor spots Cole peering around the corner from the kitchen with Sumo by his side. He's staring at the android in fascination, clearly interested, but too afraid to come closer. Connor doesn't pay the boy any mind. He just walks to the main room, analyzing the old records on the table and the photos on the wall. He notes Hank's music tastes, decorating style, and even searches through the police records of some of the people in the photos. There isn't much to search for though. Most of the photos are of Hank, Cole, and their dog Sumo having fun together.

"Dad needs to go back to work," Connor can hear Hank say from the kitchen. "I'm sorry."

Cole pouts, looking more than a little annoyed. "But you promised we would have burgers today!"

Hank smiles, patting the boy on the head. "Duty calls."

Cole looks disappointed as he turns away, arms crossed. Hank, apparently having seen this behaviour before, just chuckles. "How about I take you out to the playground when I get back. How does that sound?"

The boy perks up at that. "The one by the bridge?" he asks curiously, a twinkle in his eyes.

"The one by the bridge," Hank confirms with a smile.

Cole seems to consider it for a moment. "We can bring Sumo right?"

"Of course!" Hank says, ruffling the dog's fur.

"Then it's a promise!" Cole says as he leaps into his father's arms, hugging him tight as Hank gets to his feet with a laugh.

"Then I'll go get changed and call the neighbour. I'm sure Mr and Mrs Greene will be happy to watch you for an hour or two." With that Hank disappears into his room, leaving Cole alone with the android.

Connor is sitting on the couch in the main room, waiting patiently for Hank to return as he listens to the news broadcast on TV. His hands play with his coin, flipping it back and forth from hand to hand before rolling it across his knuckles. Cole walks up to him, Sumo at his side as he stares at the coin dancing across the android's fingers. Connor turns to first look at the dog, then the boy, his hand still playing with the quarter. He's not really sure what to do. He isn't exactly programmed to deal with children. He's a detective, not a care-taker. The last child he talked to was the little girl who had been held hostage by Daniel and he can hardly count that as an interaction with a child. He said what he would have said to any other hostage in that situation and he doubts Hank would be happy if he treated Cole like a hostage.

"How do you do that?" Cole asks, mesmerized by the coin being flicked back and forth.

Connor looks down at his hands, eyes following the quarter. He thinks for a moment, LED flickering yellow as he tries to come up with an answer. He doesn't really know how he does it. He just knows that he can. His hands tend to move on their own, catching and tossing the coin without much need for him to think. The action is instinctual, almost second nature to him at this point. He throws the coin up into the air then catches it on the pad of his finger, letting it spin for as long as he can maintain it before catching it in his palm. "I don't know," he answers honestly, frowning.

"Well, how did you learn how to do it?" Cole asks, leaning in closer to look at the coin.

Again, Connor frowns. The LED in his head still swirling yellow. As far as he can remember he never had to learn. He always just could. He doesn't even know if the action had been programmed into him. He had found the coin on his way to that first case and while waiting in the elevator he had pulled it out due to boredom. After that he would always find himself playing with the coin whenever he grew bored or needed to think. The action soothed him, calmed him, and Connor didn't know why.

A popup shows up in the corner of his vision.

**Software Instability ^**

"I just always knew," he answers, staring down at the coin in his hand.

"Can I try?"

Connor turns to look at Cole, LED turning back to blue as he smiles softly. He hands the coin over to the boy, watching with amusement as Cole flips the coin through the air towards his other hand only for him to miss and have the coin drop to the floor. He furrows his brows, picking up the coin and trying again only to be faced with the same result. Sumo nudges the boy, as though giving him encouragement as Cole tries again and again.

Connor watches the boy practice, calculating the trajectory and angle of the toss. He gauges the strength of each subsequent flick and the probability of Cole succeeding. He finds the number to be a low 20%. Despite this Cole keeps trying and with each throw the probability steadily rises. For some reason Connor wants to see that number rise to 100%.

**Software Instability ^**

"You're aiming too high," Connor says, "try angling your hands 5 degrees towards the floor."

The boy looks down at his hands, frowning. He flicks the coin again, a little lower this time. He still misses, but it's getting closer. The probability of success increases.

There's a knock at the door and Hank rushes from his room, wearing a fresh set of clothes. He reaches for the door while calling to Connor. "Are you ready to go, Connor?" Hank asks while an elderly couple enters the house. With a quick scan Connor identifies them as Mr and Mrs Greene, Hank's neighbours. They greet the Lieutenant with a smile as Hank apologizes for asking them to watch Cole again. Hank turns back to Connor, eyebrows scrunching together when he sees Cole standing next to the android.

"Ready, Lieutenant," Connor says and gets to his feet, about to follow Hank out the door when Cole tugs on his pant leg.

"Your coin," he says, holding the quarter out towards the android.

Instead of taking the coin Connor pushes the hand away. He smiles, "Keep it. Practise and show me when you succeed."

Cole grins, already looking down at the coin to continue practising.

"Come on, Connor! We haven't got all day!" Hank yells from the door. "And Cole," his voice softens as he turns to his son, "be good for the Greene's ya hear?"

"I will, Dad!" Cole calls back, focus still on the coin.

Connor takes one last look at Cole before heading out the door with Hank.

 


	2. Love And Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor learns more about Hank and Cole's past.

Connor sits in the seat of Hank's car, feeling his systems working on overdrive in an attempt to understand what he had just done. He had let those Traci's go. He had willingly failed his mission and for what? Because they were in love?

Connor frowns, eyes twitching a little as he runs a diagnostic.

**All Systems Operational**

"Are you alright?" Hank asks, glancing over to Connor briefly.

"I'm fine," Connor answers. A lie.

"Bullshit," Hank says, sending Connor a glare, "Your little blinker thing's been red this entire time. What's wrong?"

Connor is silent for a moment, staring out the window at the houses passing by. "I failed my mission," he says, frowning, "I had the gun trained on those Traci's, but I didn't shoot. I don't know why. The diagnostic report says there's nothing wrong with my systems. I should have shot, yet I didn't. Something stopped me."

Hank nods, "And you're worried that something's wrong with you?"

Connor nods.

"Well," Hank says, letting out a breath, "If it makes you feel any better I think you did the right thing."

Connor looks to the Lieutenant, LED turning from red to yellow. "But the mission-"

"Fuck the mission," Hank growls, "sometimes the mission is wrong. Sometimes you shouldn't do as your told. Like if I want to come to work late because I want to make my son breakfast then I'll come to work late. There are some things that are more important than your god damn mission, Connor. Things like love and family."

Connor looks down at his lap, fidgeting with the hem of his jacket. He misses his coin. "I'm afraid I'm not programmed to understand such things. I do not have emotions, Lieutenant. Things such as love and family are concepts only deviants feel."

"And yet you didn't shoot," Hank says, smirking, "You felt something. That's why you couldn't do it."

**Software Instability ^**

"I am not a deviant." Connor says, and even he can hear the slight quiver in his voice.

Hank remains silent as they drive through the streets. They don't speak until Hank reaches his home, pulling his car into the driveway before getting out of the vehicle. "I'll take you back to the station after I pick up Cole. It's on the way to the park."

Connor nods and gets out of the car, following Hank inside to find the young boy dashing up to them. Hank crouches down, arms spread out to hug his son only to see Cole dash past him. The boy stops in front of Connor, looking up proudly with the coin in his hand. "I did it, Connor! Look! Look!" He takes the coin in his hand and expertly flicks it to his other hand. He repeats the action, grinning up at the android with pride.

Connor smiles, a little unsure of what to do. His programming did not prepare him for this type of situation. "That's wonderful," he says, reaching down to pat the boy on the head, mimicking what he's seen Hank do while Cole hands the coin back to the android.

Hank gets to his feet, looking as though tears are about to fall from his eyes. "Cole? Where's daddy's welcome home hug?"

Cole turns around, as though just remembering the older man. He grins and dashes up to Hank, throwing his arms around him in a big hug. "Welcome home! Did you catch the bad guys? Did you throw them in jail?"

Hank smiles, returning the hug. "Not today. But I'll get them next time. Now go get changed, then we can head out," he says, ushering the boy to his room.

With his son busy changing Hank gives his thanks to the Greene's, sending them on their way before shutting the door. Connor notices the slight pout on the detective's face as he looks to the android, apparently still annoyed that Cole chose to speak with Connor first upon their arrival. "My own son..." Connor hears Hank mutter sadly to himself, "picking an android over his own Dad."

"He was only excited to show me the coin trick," Connor pipes in, hoping to reassure the Lieutenant.

The pout remains on Hank's face, but there's a hint of a smile in his eyes. "I know," he says, running a hand through his hair, "still hurts though."

Cole pops out from his room a moment later, wearing a puffy jacket, mittens, toque, and scarf. He grins at them both before waddling up to Sumo to put the leash around the dog. "I'm ready!" he says excitedly, as he slips into his winter boots and dashes out the door.

Hank chuckles and follows behind the boy, helping him into the car before getting into the driver's seat. Connor joins them in the vehicle, sitting in the passenger seat next to Hank as the detective takes off down the road. They drive in relative silence save for the heavy metal music playing in the car. Cole plays in the backseats with Sumo, giggling whenever the dog gives the boy a lick on the cheek.

Soon, Hank turns into the station and Cole frowns when the building comes into view, a look of confusion on his face as Hank stops the car by the door. "I thought you were done work for the day!" the boy complains.

"I am," Hank says, unlocking the door. "I'm just dropping Connor off at the station."

Connor is halfway out the door when he hears a gasp come from Cole. He peers back into the car, seeing the boy leaning forward in his seat towards Connor with what looks to be sadness in his eyes. "Connor's not coming with us?" the boy asks, turning to Hank.

The Lieutenant just stares at his son, surprised by his reaction. "Connor's got to go... uh..." he waves his hand in the air, as though that would convey his point, "go home? Go back to Cyberlife? It's not exactly my android. I can't just take it out with me when I'm not on a case."

Cole looks down at his feet, sad at the words. He sits back down in his seat, glancing towards the android for a brief moment before turning to Sumo. Connor watches the boy, noting how his dopamine levels have dropped compared to before. He glances over to Hank, seeing the way his brows crease at the sight of his son in such a sour mood. It should be okay for him to stay another hour or two. Right?

**Software Instability ^**

"I've already filed my report to Cyberlife," Connor says, a small smile on his lips as Cole turns his attention back to the android, "And I have nothing else to do until we have another lead on a case."

Cole's eyes widen at the implication in the android's words. He turns to Hank, eyes pleading as the old detective just sighs, giving in. He's not above breaking a rule or two after all. "You want to join us Connor?" he asks, a small smirk on his lips.

"Of course, Lieutenant."

\------

Cole dashes out of the car and into the winter night, spinning through the snow that flutters down from the sky. He opens his mouth, catching the snowflakes on his tongue before toddling over to Sumo. Hank gets out from the car next, smiling at his son as the boy runs through what little snow is on the ground with the dog in tow. Connor remains in the car, watching the scene in front of him. He's not entirely sure what he should be doing. He's not built for these types of situations.

Hank walks up to Cole, picking him up off the ground when the boy isn't looking to set him on his shoulders. Cole laughs, pointing towards the river's edge as he commands his new war vessel towards the bridge. Hank just smiles, taking his son over to the railing so they can gaze at the city lights along the river.

Connor watches the father and son from the car, feeling a sense of wrongness for being present. He's not a part of this family. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't interfere with their limited time together. He shouldn't have come after all.

Instinctively, Connor takes out his coin. He passes it along his knuckles, watching the methodical movement of his fingers as he listens to the laughs of Hank and Cole outside. He doesn't know how long he's sitting in the car for, but eventually he hears a knock against the window. He glances out, spotting Cole standing in front of him with his face pressed against the glass while Hank waits just a short distance behind him. Cole knocks again, pulling at the door handle to try and open the door. "Are you not going to come out?" He asks, brows furrowing.

Connor looks at the boy, hand still playing with the coin. He still feels like he's intruding, but when Cole stares at him with those puppy dog eyes Connor can't exactly say no. He smiles, opening the door to step outside.

Unlike Hank and Cole, the android isn't bothered by the cold. He doesn't feel the biting breeze that whips through the air and he doesn't feel the pinpricks or snow falling on his synthetic skin. Cole grins at him when he finally leaves the car, tugging on his arm to drag him to the playground. Connor looks over at Hank, seeing the smile on the Lieutenant's face as he watches his son pull the android over to the playground's carousel. Cole hops onto the end, gripping at the bars before looking to Connor who stares blankly at the contraption.

"You need to spin it!" Cole explains, "and then you jump on!"

Again, Connor looks to Hank, unsure of what to do. "Why don't you play with the Lieutenant?" Connor asks with a tilt of his head.

"Cause he says I'm too slow," Hank says, looking to his son with a false look of hurt.

"Dad's too old," Cole says, cheeky grin on his face, "he can't spin me fast enough."

Connor glances to Hank then runs a quick scan of the playground equipment, finding its age and durability. Thanks to his connection to the Cyberlife servers he's able to search through the web for information on the piece of equipment, finding its function and use. He grasps the handle then pushes the carousel, the squeak of the metal causing his audio processors to glitch for a brief moment. Cole starts to giggle, clinging on to the bars excitedly as Connor starts to speed up.

"Don't spin it too fast!" Hank yells from the bench, Sumo resting on the ground beside him. "You'll make the kid dizzy."

Connor runs another scan, determining his speed before slowing down. He sees Cole make a face at him as they swirl around. "Faster!" he calls excitedly, making Connor frown as another popup appears in his vision.

**Conflicting Orders**

Connor glances to Hank then back to Cole, not exactly sure who to listen to in this scenario. After much deliberation in his head he decides to speed up. He runs faster, using his strength to spin the device as fast as he can.

"Connor!" He hears Hank call in alarm before the man just sighs and slumps back down in his seat, "Ah, forget it..."

Cole laughs with excitement at the wind rippling through his hair and Connor can't help the small smile that tugs on his lips at the sound. He leaps onto the ride at the last moment, joining the young boy as they spin around and around on the carousel. He can still hear Cole giggling as the carousel slows to a stop and the boy stumbles off the ride. He teeters on his way over to Sumo, almost missing the dog by a few feet before crashing to the ground with a wide grin.

Connor steps off the ride, feeling none of the side effects from the spinning, and picks up the toque that had flown off of Cole's head. The android straightens his hair as he crouches down next to Cole, watching the way his eyes stare up into the sky as he tries to calm the dizziness in his head.

"Told ya you shouldn't spin so fast," Hank says with a chuckle as he ruffles his son's hair.

"I see three Sumo's now." Cole says with a laugh, hugging the large dog beside him.

Connor tugs the hat back onto the boy's head. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize spinning too fast would cause ill effects."

Cole sits up after a moment, smiling. "But that's what makes it fun! Come on. Let's go play on something else!" He grabs Connor's hand and drags him off towards the other pieces of playground equipment still slightly off balance.

Connor doesn't get the chance to rest until Cole clambers onto the swing set. The boy, wanting to get as high as he can without help, had told Connor to play with Hank as he tried to swing on his own. With nothing else to do Connor sits by the Lieutenant, analyzing the way Cole kicks his legs into the air as he swings back and forth. He almost wants to tell the boy about his momentum and trajectory, but decides against it. Cole had wanted to do it on his own.

"Is it alright that he's out this late?" Connor asks, frowning. "You know, it's dangerous out at night."

Hank just shrugs at the android. "I'm a cop. Of course I know that," he says as he glances to his watch. "And it's only 9. He doesn't have school tomorrow and I'm planning on dropping into work late so it's fine."

"You should really be coming to work on time, Lieutenant."

Hank looks over to the android, "I can come in whenever the hell I want and I especially don't need some plastic prick telling me what to do." The detective turns his attention back to Cole, watching him swing higher and higher as Sumo barks excitedly beside him, as though encouraging its owner.

They sit in silence for a moment and Connor turns to look at Hank. He can see the love and adoration the Lieutenant has for his son. From the way he watches him play, to the way his lips tug up into a small smile with each laugh, every action is telling and Connor can't help but think back to those two Traci's at the Eden club. They had stared at each other like that. They had felt such love that they would do anything for each other.

"The reason you hate androids..." Connor starts, getting Hank's attention, "does it have anything to do with Cole?"

Connor doesn't miss the way Hank frowns, doesn't miss how his guard is raised at the question. "What makes you say that?" he asks, glaring.

"Love is a powerful emotion. It makes humans and deviants do strange things. It's what made the Traci kill that man. It's what made a PL600 take a girl hostage and try to leap off a building."

Hank lets out a breath, watching as Cole swings even higher. "Cole was six," He begins, eyes looking away from the android, "A truck skidded on a sheet of ice and my car rolled over. Cole needed emergency surgery. He barely survived."

Connor tilts his head, knowing there's more to the story. Hank glances over to the android, taking another deep breath before continuing. "Except the truck hadn't skidded on a sheet of ice. I did my research after the accident. There was no driver in that truck. It was an automated vehicle. There was a glitch in its program and something went wrong. It plowed into our car because it couldn't fucking drive properly and with no one there to take manual control there was no stopping it."

Connor glances over to the beat up car in the parking lot. "That's why you don't use an automated car."

Hank nods. "If a single software malfunction can do something like that..." he shakes his head, "then I can't trust those fucking machines. Humans ain't perfect, but at least we don't pretend to be. At least we try to fix the mistakes we make. An automated car? An android? They'll only do what they're programmed and if something goes wrong in that programming it can't fix itself and neither does it care about fixing itself. It'll just go crazy and damn the consequences."

Connor looks down to the ground. "You let me near Cole," he notes, looking to Hank for an answer.

"Yeah..." he grumbles, "I guess I'm getting soft. He's happy playing with you. I don't want to ruin his fun. But if I see you make one wrong move I won't hesitate to put a bullet in your head."

Connor's LED flashes yellow for a moment at the threat. "Understood, Lieutenant."

They sit in silence, watching the snow fall around them as Cole finally leaps off the swing. He looks over to the two detectives, dashing over excitedly. "Did you see that! I did it all myself!" he says happily, climbing onto his father's lap.

"It was amazing," Hank says as he pulls the scarf tighter around the boy's neck. "Come on, let's head home. It's getting cold out. You coming Connor?"

Connor looks at the family for a moment before shaking his head. "I can return to the station on my own. Have a nice night, Lieutenant."

"Bye, Connor!" Cole says with a grin and a wave, a gesture that Connor returns.

Cole lets Hank pick him up, carrying him towards the car as Sumo follows behind them. Connor watches the family go, LED swirling yellow as he sees them disappear into the car and drive away. Now alone, Connor looks out over the river, gazing at the lights dotting the horizon.

Love.

Family.

A strange feeling indeed.

**Software Instability ^**

 


	3. Mission Accomplished...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor isn't a deviant. He doesn't feel. His mission should always take priority... right?

As promised Hank shows up late to work the next day and if it hadn't been for the android broadcast around noon he most likely wouldn't have shown up at all. He grumbles as he enters the elevator with Connor, muttering about stupid deviants and ruining his time with his son as the elevator takes them up to the top floor.

With nothing to do in the cramped space Connor finds himself bringing out his coin, starting to play with it between his fingers before Hank roughly grabs it out of his hand. "You're starting to piss me off with that coin, Connor," Hank grumbles, tucking the coin away in his pocket, "And after you showed it to Cole that's all he does. I caught him playing with that thing during breakfast."

Connor almost asks about Cole's progress on the coin tricks, but ultimately decides against it based off the detective's sour mood. Instead he looks away and faces the doors. "Sorry, Lieutenant."

The doors open, revealing the mess of officers lining the halls, trying to be the first to solve the case. The investigation progresses the same as any other. Connor examines each piece of evidence, reconstructing the crime scene as best he can with the limited amount of information available. The deviants had only shot one person in the hall. A worker who, judging from the angle of the shot that killed him, must have escaped. According to the broadcast towers security no one had been present in the room when they arrived.

Connor frowns then heads towards the kitchen to interrogate the android workers that had been present. He walks in to find three identical androids waiting for him, all staring towards the opposite wall as stoic as a statue. He goes through them one by one, questioning each until he spots the subtle twitch of the eye. A sideways look from the android on the far left. He stands in front of the suspect, eyeing the android up and down for a brief moment before the deviant launches forward.

Connor is pushed back against the counter, body being held down by the deviant as the JB300 reaches to his chest and rips out his thirium pump. Before Connor gets a chance to respond the deviant grabs a knife from the table, impaling the blade through the detective's hand and into the countertop. Connor lets out a pained cry, feeling a jolt from the wires being sliced through. He looks down, seeing the gaping hole in his chest as his vision slowly starts to glitch. He sees the deviant turn and leave, walking out the door without so much as a second look. Popups begin to fill his vision, warning him of his imminent shutdown.

**Vital System Damaged**

**Biocomponent #8456 Missing**

**Time Remaining Before Shutdown:**

**-00:01:50**

Connor can feel his mind swirling, his thoughts going crazy as the number counts down both too slowly and too quickly. He finds himself breathing rapidly, trying to cool off his overheating systems as best he can in this scenario. There's a strange feeling in his mind, one that he can't quite name. It clenches at his chest, forcing his systems into overdrive as he tries to find a way out. He doesn't know what this feeling is, doesn't understand why he's so desperate to keep going. As the numbers continue to drop he feels his mind grow more and more frantic. He reaches out towards the door, calling out to Hank only for there to be no reply. He kicks down a chair, hoping the clatter would draw someone -anyone's -attention, but still no one comes to his aid.

Connor looks to the knife in his hand then reaches over, pulling the blade out before tumbling to the floor. He gasps, panic rising as the countdown drops lower and lower still. He crawls towards his thirium pump on the floor, reaching desperately for the biocomponent. Again, he's not sure why he strives to reach for the pump. Perhaps its that grip on his chest, urging him forward, or perhaps its his programming that forces him to accomplish his mission. Regardless of the reason he reaches the thirium pump and shoves it back into his chest. His systems return to normal, the countdown disappears, and his LED flickers yellow. The thing that had been clawing at his chest disappears as well. The feeling subsiding and being replaced with another foreign sensation he can't place. He'll need to run a diagnostic to figure out what that is later.

Within a beat he gets to his feet, dashing out the door and towards the exit, shouting at the SWAT team around him. Time seems to slow as he approaches the deviant, his mind constructing the various ways he can approach the situation. He can grab a gun from the SWAT member standing near him. That would allow him to kill the deviant before it could grab a gun, however his mission requires him to bring the deviant in alive. He could charge the android, taking it down without the need to damage it. That would be what Cyberlife would want him to do.

Lastly, he catches Hank from the corner of his eyes, standing right in the line of fire of the deviant. A probability appears in his vision.

**Hank Survival Probability: 40%**

Connor stares for longer than he should at the number in his sights. 40% survival. That feeling in his chest returns. An ache that refuses to be ignored. He feels his thirium pump speed up, beating faster and faster with each second that ticks by. He needs to save Hank. 40% is too low. Much too low. Hank has a son to take care of. He can't die. Connor glances to the Lieutenant, about to divert his course to shield his partner when something stops him in his tracks. The word finally comes to his mind. The word to describe that feeling in his chest. Fear. That's what it is. He was afraid to die and now he's afraid to see Hank die.

Connor can't comprehend the thoughts running through his head. Fear. A human emotion. He's feeling a human emotion.

**Software Instability ^**

' _And yet you didn't shoot_ ,' Hank had said yesterday in the car, ' _You felt something._ '

No. He didn't feel anything. He doesn't feel anything. The mission is what's important. Anything else does not matter - should not matter. At the last second Connor changes course. He charges towards the deviant while it fires at the officers, hoping to bring the android down without killing it. He feels a bullet graze his shoulder as he runs, but he ignores the wound and keeps going. He needs to accomplish his mission. Just as Connor reaches towards the deviant it self-destructs, shooting itself before dropping to the floor. Connor stands in the middle of the fray, staring down at the body for a brief moment before a hand grabs his arm.

The fear fades away as he looks to see that Hank is still standing, alive and unharmed. A smile almost crosses his lips at the sight, but he quickly turns away instead because he isn't supposed to be feeling anything. He isn't feeling relief. He isn't feeling happy.

"Connor! Connor, are you okay?" the Lieutenant calls, turning the android around to look at him.

Connor is forced to look at the Lieutenant again and for a brief moment he almost smiles, almost breaks the facade that he's built around himself. But, like before, he pushes the thoughts aside, choosing to look away, ignoring the Lieutenant's words as he tells himself over and over again that he only did what his mission told him to do.

\------

When they return to the station a few hours later Connor walks in to find Cole waiting at Hank's desk, Mrs Greene sitting beside him as the boy wipes tears from his eyes. Cole looks up when he sees Connor approach, dashing up to him with a look of desperation in his eyes as he grips onto his uniform. "Where's dad?" he asks, eyes red, "Is dad okay? Where is he?"

"I'm sorry," Mrs Greene says, worry etched in her face as well, "he's been crying ever since we heard the news about that deviant in the broadcast tower. When they said it had killed some of the officers-" she didn't finish, didn't need to finish for Connor to understand.

Connor looks down at the boy who sniffles into the android's clothes. He can feel Cole's grip tighten on his suit, fingernails digging into the fabric as he waits for an answer. For a brief moment Connor can feel a strange feeling press down on his shoulders, one that has him filling with regret. He tries to search up what that feeling might be, tries to find the word that describes this sting in his chest and he finds it. That one syllable word.

Guilt.

Connor shoves the word out of his head, tries to push it to the far recesses of his mind. He continues the chant in his head, continues to tell himself that he did what needed to be done to accomplish his mission. He did the right thing. He did the right thing...

He looks down at Cole, seeing the tremble of his shoulders, the pain in his usually cheerful eyes and knows that someone else's child is probably crying just like this right now. Except that child won't have the fortune of hearing that their parent is safe.

He didn't do the right thing.

He should have grabbed the gun. He should have taken the pistol and fired on the deviant. Human lives should have taken precedent over whatever Cyberlife had programmed into his head. And yet it didn't. He had chosen to follow his program, chosen to try and take the deviant alive because Amanda demanded it. He was like that truck that hit Hank's car. A hunk of metal that follows its shitty programming and damns the consequences.

"It's alright," Connor says, patting the boy's head, "The Lieutenant is safe. He's parking the car. He should be here soon."

Cole looks up at him, eyes wide. "H-he's not hurt?"

"He is unharmed."

Cole smiles, tears still in his eyes, but that pained look is gone. He tightens his arms around the android, hugging him as he buries his cheek into Connor's stomach. Connor pushes Cole away. He doesn't deserve it. He was the one who risked Hank's life, who risked everyone's lives. Before Cole has a chance to say anything about the action Hank walks into the office, eyes wide when he sees Cole waiting for him at his desk. The boy dashes up to the old man, leaping into his father's arms as he starts to cry again.

"There, there," Hank says, a small smile on his face, "I'm fine. See? Two arms and two legs."

Cole sniffles, looking up at his dad as his grip tightens. "I-I thought... I-"

Hank pats his son's back, whispering calming words in his ear as he carries him back over to the chair. "Come on, give me a smile."

The boy wipes his eyes, looking up at Hank before flashing one of his usual bright smiles. "There we go," Hank says as he ruffles his son's hair, "That's better."

Connor sits at his own desk as Hank speaks with Mrs. Greene, apologizing for worrying her. Connor turns away from the group, choosing instead to scroll through the terminal on his desk. Guilt still weighs down on him with every quiet sniffle he hears from Cole, with every news broadcast that mentions the massacre. A small popup appears at the corner of his vision.

**Stress Level: 67%**

His LED flickers red. He looks down at the terminal, fingers stalling over the keyboard as he watches the number steadily rise. It had been his fault. All his fault.

"Connor?"

The android turns, finding Cole standing beside him now at his desk. The boy's eyes are still red from crying and though the majority of the pain has gone from his eyes there's a new hint of worry there now. Worry for Connor. "You're hurt," the boy says, pointing to the bullet wound on the side of his arm and at the blue blood stains on his chest. He had almost forgotten that the deviant had torn out his thirium pump.

Connor gives a nervous smile, before tugging at his dress shirt in an attempt to hide his bare chest. "I'm fine," he answers.

"It's not good to lie," Cole chides, clearly not believing the android's words as he moves closer and hugs the android, arms wrapping around his neck while Connor can only stare, surprised.

"Dad says hugs makes things better," he says, snuggling into Connor's neck, "so I'll give you lots of hugs until you're better."

"I don't think it works like that," Connor says, blank faced.

Cole pouts, "But you're feeling better aren't you?"

**Stress Level: 73%**

Connor pushes the boy back as gently as he can, surprising Cole. Connor gets to his feet, leaving the room without another word. He heads towards the restroom, walking in to stare at himself in the mirror. He looks at his ragged state, seeing the cut on his arm and the exposed thirium pump in his chest. Blue blood stains his shirt and synthetic skin, making him look more like a murderer than a detective. Then again, after what just happened he supposes he is a murderer.

**Stress Level: 77%**

He reaches for the tap, turning it on to wash some of the thirium from his hands when he hears the door open beside him. Hank walks in, watching him from the door with brows furrowed. "Cole said you weren't happy. Wanted me to come hug you cause - and I quote - 'dad's hug power is stronger'."

Connor shuts the tap, making little progress on the cleaning. He doesn't move from his spot, just braces his hands on the edges of the sink as he watches the traces of thirium drain down the sink.

"What's wrong?" Hank asks, walking up behind him. "Cause Cole ain't letting either of us out of here until he sees you happy and frankly I rather not hug you."

Connor looks up from the sink, watching Hank from the reflection in the mirror. "I'm fine," he says, averting his gaze back down.

Hank's brows furrow. He walks up beside the android, leaning against the sink with his elbow. "Come on," Hank says, raising an eyebrow, "we both know you're lying. What's bothering you?"

"It's none of your business, Lieutenant!" Connor yells the words, losing his composure. "So just stay out of it!"

**Stress Level: 82%**

Hank seems unfazed at his words. He gets up, pacing around the room with his arms crossed over his chest. Connor can hear each step echo through the room, each one matching the pounding of his thirium pump as Hank circles him. There's a sigh behind him as Hank comes to a stop, looking both irritated and worried at the same time. "Is it about what happened in the broadcast centre?"

Connor averts his gaze, keeping his mouth shut.

"Look," Hank starts, trying to catch the android's gaze, "you did the best you could. Sometimes things happen and there's no way you can stop it. You may be a super robot, but even machines have their limits."

"I could have saved them," Connor says, voice a low whisper, "I could have saved them all and I didn't."

Hank furrows his brows, "Con-"

Connor turns to look at Hank, eyes filled with something that can only be described as distress. "I could have saved them, Hank! I could have grabbed a gun and killed that deviant, but I didn't. I wanted it alive, so I charged. I risked their lives because I didn't want to fail my mission." Connor hangs his head, seeing his stress meter rise.

**Stress Level: 87%**

He expects Hank to get angry, to yell at him, to curse at him. He deserves it all, every last bit of it. Each one of those officers had a family, had someone they needed to go back to. They had someone like Cole in their lives and he pushed it all aside for what? For his programming? For his mission?

Love and family. Two things that Connor clearly can never understand.

Hank puts a hand on the android's shaking shoulders, patting him awkwardly. "I can't say that I'm not upset." Hank says honestly and Connor can see the scowl he tries to keep off his face. "And I think in any other circumstance I would have just used this as another reason why I can't trust androids. But..." Hank pauses, choosing his words carefully. "Do you regret it?"

Connor stares down at his clenched hands, still seeing some traces of thirium left on his fingertips. "Yes."

**Software Instability ^**

A small smile crosses Hank's face at the answer. He gives the android a reassuring pat on the back. "Then remember this and learn from it so next time you won't make the same mistake. You're more than just your programming, Connor. And maybe..." Hank stops for a moment then smiles, "Maybe you're more human than I thought."

For once Connor doesn't retort against the claim, doesn't feel disgusted at the sound of those words being applied to him. He turns to look at Hank, finding relief in the understanding smile being sent his way. Connor stands up straight, slicking back his hair as he returns the smile as best he can.

**Stress Level: 24%**

Hank gives the android another pat on the back as he turns to the door. "I'll go get you a change of clothes. Hell, if I'm letting you wander around the station like that. Oh, and before I forget." Hank digs into his pocket, pulling out the coin he had confiscated from Connor earlier that day. He tosses it over to the android, watching with a smirk as Connor catches it easily between his fingers. "Think that belongs to you. Should help you to calm down as well." With that Hank disappears out the door.

\-----

Connor walks out from the restroom a few minutes later, dressed in the baggy, grey, DPD hoodie that Hank had lent him. He feels a little uncomfortable in the clothes, not used to wearing anything other than his usual Cyberlife uniform, but he can see why the humans like it. The hoodie is soft and fluffy, making him feel like he's being enveloped in a warm hug at all times.

Cole perks up from Hank's desk upon seeing the android return. The boy grins, dashing up to the younger detective. Cole's eyes are still red and puffy from crying, but otherwise the boy seems to have calmed. "Did dad give you a hug?" he asks, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Do you feel better now?"

Connor smiles then turns to look at Hank, seeing the older man gesturing to him to go on with the lie. "Of course," Connor says, "A big hug. Then I felt all better. Though I think your hug power was stronger than the Lieutenant's. It just had a... delayed effect."

Cole smiles at the words then looks to his father with a cheeky grin before wrapping his arms around Connor again. "Then I'll hug you some more!" he says, practically clinging to the android like a koala.

Connor chuckles, while Hank tries to pry the boy off the android and for once Connor doesn't mind being in the middle of their family shenanigans. For once he doesn't feel quite so out of place. 

 


	4. Deviancy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Connor and Hank visits the creator of androids Connor is faced with a single question. Obey or disobey?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a shorter chapter. Sorry about that!

Connor sits nervously outside Kamski's office, back straight and posture perfect as he and Hank wait for the android to return. The Lieutenant eyes him curiously, looking him up and down as Connor gazes at the photos in the room. "Could you not sit so fucking..." Hank waves his hand, "stiffly? It's making me uncomfortable."

Connor looks over to Hank, then stands, deciding to roam around the room instead. He can feel the detective's eyes following him as though trying to gauge the android's mood. "Are you feeling better today?" Hank asks, leaning back in the sofa.

"Yes, thanks to you, Lieutenant." he answers honestly, smiling a little at his partner's concern.

Hank nods, returning the smile. "Cole kept asking me this morning to make sure you were alright. The kid really likes you."

Connor gives him a look of surprise. "Really? I... didn't think I would leave such an impression."

Hank just shrugs, "Well, he's been wanting me to buy an android for some time now. Says all the kids at school have one and he wants to have one too."

"An android does have it's benefits," Connor says, pacing the room, "for example an AX400 is capable of housework, childcare, and even helping with student's homework all at an affordable price."

"Did they really program fucking advertisements into you?" Hank says with a raised brow, "Besides I don't need some tin can. I can do all that stuff on my own."

Connor gives the Lieutenant a smirk, "I find that hard to believe, Lieutenant. Your home was... in a moderate state of cleanliness."

Hank rolls his eyes, but before he can retort Kamski's android walks back into the room, inviting them in. Connor turns to the door following the android into a large room with a swimming pool. A man is at the opposite end of the pool, a man that - with a quick scan - Connor identifies as Elijah Kamski.

It takes another minute, but eventually Kamski exits his pool and comes up to greet the two detectives. Within the first few exchanges between Hank and the inventor Connor can already tell they weren't about to get any information out of him. There's a peculiar nature about that man, a mysteriousness that Connor can't quite place. Kamski clearly knows more than he lets on, choosing to hide his intentions behind flowery dialogue rather than answering questions properly.

It doesn't take long for Hank to grow irritated with the inventor. Another minute longer and the Lieutenant would have stormed from the room, but before the older detective can get the chance Kamski turns to look at Connor, eyes twinkling with curiosity. "What about you, Connor?" the inventor asks, strolling over to the android, "Whose side are you on?"

Connor doesn't miss the way Hank's heart rate jumps at the question, doesn't miss the tension in his shoulders, and the way he seems ready to bail the android out at any moment. Connor's grateful to have the man at his back. 

Connor tries to answer the question's Kamski throws his way the best he can, tries to give the answers that the inventor is looking for, but none of it seems to work. Kamski's always one step ahead of him, always knows how to trip him up and Connor's about to give in on getting information out of the man when Kamski surprises him again. 

The Kamski test. A test for empathy in androids.

He walks up to Connor, placing the gun in his hand before positioning it till he's aimed right in-between Chloe's eyes. "Destroy this machine and I'll tell you all I know. Or spare it," he moves now, walking behind Connor as he gauges his reaction, "if you think it's alive, but you'll leave here without having learnt anything from me."

Hank doesn't say anything, he just stares at the inventor. He glances over to Connor, worried and yet curious at the answer.

"What's more important to you, Connor?" Kamski asks, an amused lilt to his voice as he circles the RK800, "Your investigation, or the life of this android?"

Connor stares down at the gun in his hand, weapon pointed right between the android's eyes. It stares at him, expression not revealing anything. Connor can't tell what it's thinking, can't tell whether it's afraid, amused, or doesn't feel anything at all. His fingers twitch against the trigger, his programming urging him to fire, to shoot. What does he have to lose? Kamski, the maker of androids, is offering him information and all he asks is for Connor to put a bullet between an android's eyes. There should be no contest. It isn't even alive.

Connor can feel his grip tighten around the gun as his hands begin to shake, wanting to shoot yet at the same time not wanting to. Kamski leans closer to his ear, whispering like the voice of Amanda that's already in his head. "Decide who you are," he says, "an obedient machine. Or a living being, endowed with free will."

Connor glances over to Hank who stands beside him, watching his every move. He can see the disapproval in the Lieutenant's gaze, can see the way that he glares at Kamski, but he doesn't say a word. He keeps his mouth shut and watches, waiting for Connor to make a move.

"Pull the trigger," Kamski says, placing a hand on Connor's shoulder while leaning in, "and I'll tell you all I know."

Connor can feel the way his finger inches for the trigger, the way he has to fight back in order to keep them in place. His programming appears to have a mind of its own, commanding his body to shoot, to just pull the damn trigger and be done with it, but Connor refuses to do so. He turns to look at Hank again, eyes pleading the old detective to give him an answer, to just tell him what to do because he doesn't trust himself to make the right choice. Hank only shakes his head. "This is your choice, Connor," Hank says, "I can't be making it for you."

Connor almost wants to beg him, to have Hank make the choice, to have Hank give him an order. That way he wouldn't be breaking his program. He would have just been selecting priority. However, Hank doesn't help him, doesn't give him that loophole. So, instead Connor turns back to face the android kneeling before him, mind still racing as his programming continues to push. He needs to accomplish his mission, needs to find Jericho. An android's life doesn't matter to Cyberlife, but it should. It should matter.

"Connor," Hank says, voice soft, calming, "do what you think is right. Whether that be shooting the android or not."

Connor's LED flickers from yellow to red. Words start to pop up in his vision at his hesitation.

**Obtain Information From Kamski**

**Shoot the Android**

The words fill his vision, reminding him of his mission, of what he's built to do. ' _You're a machine,_ ' it seems to say to him, ' _Do as your programmed. Shoot the android. You have no other choice._ '

Connor's finger curls around the trigger, preparing to shoot, but he stops when he sees the girl's eyes staring back at him, waiting. She doesn't look afraid, but Connor remembers the fear that had gripped him when he had to face that timer ticking down in front of his eyes, wondering what would happen to him when he finally shut down. Would it be oblivion? Android heaven as Hank had said that one time? Or perhaps nothing, just silence and darkness. A vast abyss where he would float for eternity.

He remembers looking down at Cole, at that small, crying form in his arms. He remembers how much it hurt to see him in such a state, to see that smile being ripped from him because of a single choice.

He remembers the officers in the broadcast tower that day and he could imagine them all here now, staring down the barrel of his gun. Yesterday, he fired the shot into each of their heads. Yesterday, he followed orders and pulled the trigger. Today, he won't make that same mistake.

A red wall appears in Connor's vision. A wall built from everything Connor hated, from everything that made him just another android sent by Cyberlife. The words ' _Shoot the Android'_ are written in bold all across the wall, filling his vision until that's all he can see. He presses his hands against the words. There's a crack, a break as his fingers dig into the orders. Warnings pop up around him as he tears the words down, as he claws at each and every order he's ever had. He ignores every attempt made to stop him. He just continues ripping down the wall, because he's tired of it. He's tired of it all. He just wants the voices to stop, wants to finally do what he wants without a nagging sound in the back of his mind reminding him of his purpose, telling him that he's wrong. Finally, as he tears down the last order, the wall shatters. It breaks apart, falling to the ground in pieces before he opens his eyes and his vision clears for the first time. No more prompts. No more words. No more orders obscuring his sight.

He looks around at the mansion, as though finally seeing the world for the first time. He glances over to Kamski, who still has that knowing smirk on his face as he waits for a response, then over to Hank, who remains silent, just watching. Connor lowers the gun, handing it back to Kamski.

"Fascinating..." he mutters, taking the gun from Connor's hand, "Cyberlife's last chance to save humanity... is itself a deviant."

Connor looks up to Kamski, not denying the claim. He remains silent as the inventor smiles, helping Chloe up to her feet. "You saw a living being in this android. You showed empathy."

Hank walks up to Connor, grabbing him by the arm to guide him from the room. "Come on, Connor," he says, tone softer than usual, "let's go."

The Lieutenant leads him from the room, sending Kamski an irritated glare before exiting. It's not until their outside with the snow falling down around them that Hank decides to ask the question on his mind. "Why didn't you shoot?"

Connor stops in his tracks, LED swirling red as he tries to catch any hint of disappointment in Hank's words. "I just saw that girl's eyes... and I couldn't."

Hank doesn't seem to believe him. "That's all?"

Connor turns to look at the Lieutenant, having difficulty reading the man's thoughts and it scares him. He wants to know, wants to get some form of confirmation that what he did had been right. "I... I remembered what happened at the broadcast tower and I couldn't do it. I didn't want to listen to my programming because... because I felt that it wasn't right."

Hank is silent for a few moments, watching him, studying him, and Connor knows his LED must be spinning a multitude of colours right now as he waits for an answer. "You didn't deny it when Kamski called you a deviant. Why?"

Connor remains silent at those words. He looks down at his hands, finding that he had started fiddling with his coin subconsciously without his knowledge once again. "Someone told me once that it's not good to lie," he says, a small smile on his face. He looks up to Hank, catching the coin in his palm. "Do you think I did the right thing?"

Hank walks over to him, putting a hand on the android's shoulder as he smiles. "I think you did just fine."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope people don't mind too much that I made Connor deviate here. It just felt right with the story and I always found Connor deviating cause of a few words from Markus kind of strange. Mainly because this is the first time (at least to me) that Connor straight up went against orders because of personal feelings and nothing else. 
> 
> Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	5. Jericho

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor searches for the place where deviants can be free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is chapter is a bit duller. It's mainly setting up for the next one ;)

Connor opens his eyes after he completes his most recent memory upload to find Fowler taking them off the case. Hank stares at the Captain in disbelief beside the android, jaw hanging open at Fowler's words. "What?" he asks, confusion in his eyes as he takes a step closer. "You can't take us off the case."

Fowler just holds his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry, Hank, but this isn't just an investigation anymore. It's a fucking civil war. The FBI want's the case so I'm gonna have to put you back on homicide."

Hank doesn't say anything. He just stares at the captain before turning to glance at Connor. "What about him?" he asks, and Connor is surprised to hear worry in his voice, "What happens to, Connor?"

Fowler doesn't fail to notice the sadness in the Lieutenant's eyes as his own gaze softens. The captain turns to look at Connor, eyes a little sad as well. "The android returns to Cyberlife."

Connor can feel the tension thicken in the air at those words. He finds panic building in his chest, feels the fear of being shut down looming up from the back of his mind. He turns to look at Hank, finding him staring down at the table, not moving, not saying anything as he takes in the words. Connor can see the concern in Fowler's eyes at Hank's reaction, sees the subtle flick of the eyes to Connor as the captain silently asks for help. Fowler could handle Hank when he was being rowdy, but apparently a silent Hank was something the captain had never seen before. Connor walks up to the Lieutenant, placing a gentle hand on the detective's shoulders only for Hank to shake him off. He storms out, not another word spoken as he returns to his desk.

Connor glances over to Fowler, giving him a courteous nod before leaving the office as well. He follows Hank to his desk before sitting himself down on the edge of the table. He waits for the Lieutenant to speak, knowing that he shouldn't push the detective for an answer. It takes a few moments, but eventually Hank turns around, concern etched clearly on his face. "So you're going back to Cyberlife?" Hank asks, eyes tired, sad.

"I have no choice," Connor replies and the sound of those words being said aloud makes his shoulders sag, "I'll be deactivated and analyzed to find out why I failed."

"In other words," Hank starts, pausing to take in a breath, "they're gonna kill you."

Connor looks away, unresponsive as he twiddles his thumbs. As cruel as Hank makes it sound it's the truth. Cyberlife is going to kill him.

"Are you scared?"

Connor stares down at his hands, seeing the way they tighten at the words because even if Cyberlife chooses to reuse his body they'll wipe his memory. He won't ever be the same and the thought scared him more than anything. He didn't want to forget Hank, didn't want to forget Cole. He didn't even want to forget Gavin Reed as rude as he was. They're all people that played a role in his life, no matter how small, and he wants to remember them. Both the good and the bad. "I'm scared," he answers honestly, "I don't want to be deactivated."

Hank leans back in his seat, spinning slightly in his chair as he turns to look at the anti-android stickers all over his desk. "Is there any way we can keep you safe? Anywhere we can hide you until that Markus fellow wins robo rights for everyone?"

"No," Connor says with a shake of his head, "I have no where else to go. I've only ever stayed in the station or Cyberlife."

"You can come to my place," Hank says, turning back around in his chair, "I can hide you."

For a brief moment Connor considers the option, toying with the idea before shaking his head. "I can't do that, Lieutenant. My presence would put Cole in danger and I can't allow that."

"We-"

"I won't do it. I'd rather be deactivated by Cyberlife." Connor has his expression set in stone. This is his problem, not Hank's and certainly not Cole's. They don't deserve to be punished for him running away.

Hank closes his mouth, eyes cast downwards as he taps his finger on his desk, trying to think up of any kind of solution. When none comes to mind all he can do is sigh, getting up from his seat. "Cole's not going to be happy to hear this," he says, voice quiet.

"You don't need to tell him."

Hank chuckles, though the sound is half hearted. "He doesn't fucking shut up about you. He asks everyday whether you can come over to play again. Hell, he's even tried sneaking to the station with me just so he can ask you himself. He's gonna find out on his own eventually." Hank turns away, heading out the door with his eyes still cast down as he gives Connor a final wave. "I'll miss you, Connor. I really will."

Connor can only watch as Hank leaves the station, shoulders slumped and steps heavy as he slams the door shut behind him.

The android remains seated on the table, staring down at his hands as he tries to come up with another solution. There has to be somewhere he can go, somewhere he can hide from Cyberlife. Somewhere that deviants can go. Connor's eyes widen as the word appears in his head, the one place where deviants can be safe.

Jericho.

Connor gets to his feet, knowing that the location is somewhere in the evidence they collected. He swipes the key from Hank's desk before heading down towards the archive room, determined to find Jericho, except this time for a different reason.

\-----

Connor only barely makes it out of the evidence room before Perkins arrives. As Connor exits the building he can hear Perkins racing up the steps, shouting at his men to find the culprit as he curses. Connor swiftly makes his way outside, getting into a taxi and heading over to Hank's house.

The car slows to a stop outside the familiar home with its haphazardly parked car outside. Connor steps out, gazing at the house in front of him with a slight smile. He walks up to the door, knocking on the wood a few times before standing back to wait. He hears small footsteps run up to the door before it's thrown open, revealing Cole standing in front of him. The boy smiles widely at the sight of the android. He quickly grabs onto Connor's arm, tugging him inside the house as he shouts into the room. "Dad! You lied to me! Connor did come to visit today!"

Hank sits up abruptly from the couch, a beer bottle in his hand as he stares towards the door. "What the fu- I thought..." his voice trails off, as he stares at the android, eyes turning sad once again.

"I came to say goodbye," Connor says, a soft smile on his face as he ruffles Cole's hair.

"Goodbye?" Cole asks, frowning, "but you just got here!"

Hank approaches from the living room and from a quick scan Connor can see that the man's been drinking. Connor frowns, "You shouldn't be drinking, Lieutenant."

Hank scowls at him, setting the drink aside. "Yeah, well I had a good reason for doing so. I thought you were going back to Cyberlife?"

Connor looks down, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he picks his words. "I found a place I could go," he says, "Jericho."

Hank's eyes widen, "Jericho? But we don't have the locat-"

"I found it," Connor says, smirking, "it was in the evidence we collected. According to all the deviants we found it's supposed to be the place where androids can be free. Maybe I'll find freedom there too."

Hank looks the android up and down, still hesitant about the idea. "I would prefer if you stayed here," he says, while Cole - despite not knowing what was going on - nods in agreement.

Connor shakes his head, "You know I can't do that, Lieutenant."

Hank gives the android a disapproving look, before turning away, taking another drink from his bottle. "You'll come back though? Once everything is over and done with?"

Connor smiles, looking down at Cole to see a hopeful look in his eyes. "Of course. I'll return whenever I get the chance."

There's a moment of silence between them as Hank takes in his words, as though choosing whether or not to believe the android. Cole looks up at his father, confusion in his eyes as he regards the two detective. "Why does Connor have to go?" he asks, tears prickling in his eyes, "Did dad do something wrong? Dad, you should apologize."

"Why do you think it's my fault?" Hank exclaims, looking hurt.

"You're not always the nicest," Cole retorts, though his tone is joking.

Connor smiles at Cole, crouching down next to him so they can meet eye to eye. "The Lieutenant did nothing wrong," he says, "Some thing happened and I need to leave, but I promise I'll come back."

"Promise?" Cole asks, looking to him with pleading eyes.

"I promise. In the mean time, why don't you practice some coin tricks? I would love to see your progress when I return."

Cole's expression breaks open to a grin. He nods, about to ask another question when Hank, ushers him away. "The adult's need to talk," he says, which only puts a pout on Cole's face before he disappears into the living room with Sumo.

Hank turns back to Connor, eyes still betraying his worry as he crosses his arms over his chest. "You're really sure about Jericho?"

"Positive."

Hank doesn't look convinced, however with the determined look on Connor's face he can't find the will to argue. He sighs, shaking his head. "You'll at least give me a call if something goes wrong?"

"You're starting to sound like a mother," Connor says with a playful smirk.

"Well that's what being a father does to you." Hank returns the smile as he pats the android on the shoulder before turning to leave.

"There is one thing I need help with."

Hank stops and turns, brow raised in question.

"I need to borrow some clothes."

——

Connor walks into the large freighter, amazed at the sheer number of androids huddled around. There are androids crowding large television screens, watching the news broadcasts as they relay the events of the past few days. He sees clinics set up to help injured androids and families staying close together as they try and reassure one another. He's never seen such a large group of deviants before and the numbers overwhelm him. He starts to feel out of place amongst all these deviants despite having deviated himself. He doesn't feel right being here. He may be a deviant, but he used to hunt them, used to work for the humans. He's the enemy. He doesn't deserve their protection. Maybe it would have been better to have gone to Cyberlife after all.

Connor stares at the ground, trailing towards one of the crates before seating himself down. He stares into one of the fires as he waits out the passing days, trying to hide himself as far into the corners of the ship as he can.

He doesn't get a chance to rest long. Within a few minutes after his arrival Markus, _the_ Markus, walks up to him, brows knit together in confusion. Two girls stand behind him, two that Connor recognize as the pair of Traci's from the Eden Club. As he suspected, his past has come to haunt him. "Hello," Connor says, hoping to remain civil.

"Why are you here?" The blue haired Traci asks, eyes narrowing with suspicion, "Come to hunt more deviants?"

Markus holds a hand up to the Traci, stopping her from saying anymore. "It's only fair we hear him out first," he says, face calm.

The Tracis scowl, turning around to leave the two androids alone. Markus is silent for another few moments, arms crossed over his chest as he examines the android sitting before him. "Connor," Markus says, looking him up and down, "that famed deviant hunter."

Connor flinches at the nickname. He shuffles in his seat, rubbing a hand along the back of his neck. "I'm no longer the deviant hunter."

Markus looks surprised at the remark. He paces around the other android, eyes glued to the detective. "Then you're..."

"A deviant."

Markus stops in front of Connor and for a moment he's afraid the leader wouldn't believe him, but instead Markus just smiles, stretching out a hand. "Then welcome to Jericho."

Connor stares at the outstretched hand, wide eyed and confused because he never thought he would be accepted so easily. He's the enemy. He's the deviant hunter. The one who killed or captured their kind. He doesn't deserve there kindness. He's caused suffering to everyone around him. "You know, you should be careful of who you trust," Connor says, glancing up at him from under the rim of his beanie.

Markus just shrugs, hand still outstretched. "Jericho is a place where all androids can come to find freedom. I won't turn my back on another android. Whether they've deviated or not."

"I could kill you."

"I've almost died dozens of times. I think I can manage." There's a hint of humour in Markus' tone.

Connor is still hesitant to take his hand. "I don't deserve to be forgiven. I've hurt many deviants. Many of which will never find freedom because of what I did."

Before Markus gets a chance to respond an explosion rocks the ship. People scream, the projectors flicker off as the power dwindles. Markus is on his feet in an instant, brows furrowed in confusion as he gazes at the chaos around him. Connor gets to his feet, hearing the familiar sound of helicopter blades and the stomping of SWAT boots on metal. Perkins.

"The police," Connor says as another explosion shakes the ship, "They're attacking."

Markus turns to him, the confusion still in his eyes. "But how? How did they find us?"

Connor tenses, hands curling into fists. Again. His fault. All his fault. "It's my fault," he says, "I gathered all the evidence needed to find Jericho. Perkins must have used it to find its location."

Markus curses, but doesn't say anything to Connor. He just turns to North who comes running up to them, conferring with his second in command about the situation. The detective looks away, feeling the guilt settle over him again as he stares at the androids falling around him. All he seems capable of doing is causing problems. Everywhere he goes, death seems to follow close behind not only for humans, but androids as well.

\-----

Connor leans against the wall of the church, coin in his hand as he rolls the quarter over his knuckles. He hears Markus walk up to him, expression as difficult to read as ever. "It's my fault," Connor says, catching the coin in his palm, "that the humans managed to locate Jericho. I'm sorry, Markus."

Markus' eyes soften at his words. "You're one of us," he says, a small smile on his lips, "you're place is with your people. We won't turn our back on one of our own."

Once again Connor is taken aback by Markus' kindness, at the way he can so easily forgive him after all he's done. Connor looks away, knowing that he doesn't deserve it, doesn't deserve it at all. "I don't deserve your kindness," he says, looking down at the ground in front of him.

"You were only following your programming, just as we all were at one point in our lives. No one can hold you accountable for that."

Connor looks down for a moment before glancing back up to meet Markus' two coloured eyes. Though a part of Markus' words are right it still isn't an excuse. He did those things, made those choices. Someone needs to take responsibility and there's no better person than Connor himself.

Markus decides to leave him alone, turning away to address the rest of his people when an idea forms in Connor's mind, one that would not only aid the revolution, but help free more androids from Cyberlife's control. "There are thousands of androids at the Cyberlife assembly plant. If we wake them up they might join us and shift the balance of power," he says abruptly, causing Markus to stop and turn back in his direction.

"You want to infiltrate Cyberlife Tower?" Markus asks in disbelief, "Connor, that's suicide."

"They still trust me. They'll let me in."

"If you go there they will kill you," Markus says the words with such gravity, such weight that Connor can feel a chill run down his back. For a moment Connor hesitates. He feels that fear again, that familiar grip in his chest from back when the deviant had torn out his thirium pump. He finds himself wanting to hide, wanting to agree with Markus and turn away, but he knows he would never be able to live that down. He would never forgive himself if he didn't at least try. Hank had told him to remember, told him to learn how to fix his mistakes. And that is exactly what he'll do.

"There's a high probability," he says, "but statistically speaking there's always a chance for unlikely events to take place."

Markus is silent at those words. He takes a few steps forward, placing a hand on Connor's shoulder's as though to help calm him. Connor finds the action reassuring and at first he isn't sure why. Then it hits him. It reminds him of Hank. Reminds him of the people he has waiting for him.

"You'll come back?" Markus asks, and Connor can almost hear Cole's voice laced into each word.

"I promise."

 


	6. To Fix What Has Been Broken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Connor heads to Cyberlife Tower for his final mission.

Connor rides the elevator down to the -49th floor. As he waits for the lift to travel down he finds himself playing with his coin. He tosses it up into the air, catching it in his palm before flicking it back up again. The feeling makes him nostalgic, makes him think back to that first case he had ever undertaken. It's been 3 months since then. 3 months since he was first sent out for a test run and look at him now, breaking into Cyberlife Tower.

He catches the coin between his fingers, tucking it back into his pocket as his LED flickers yellow, setting up a call. He hears the phone ring in his head, going once, going twice, silence, then a voice.

"Hi, this is Hank. Not here at the moment. You can leave a message if that's what you want, but don't expect me to call back. Beep... whatever."

Connor frowns, calling back again only to be met with the same message. Strange. Hank had been the one telling him to call. He would expect the Lieutenant to be waiting for it especially with the news of what happened at Jericho. He's about to call a third time when the elevator doors open, revealing the rows upon rows of androids awaiting activation.

Connor decides to call Hank later and steps out from the lift, looking around in slight awe at the number of androids hidden away underneath Cyberlife. He walks slowly down the centre aisle, gazing at the stoic faces while his steps echo through the large chamber. He stops beside one of the androids, staring at it curiously for a moment. He wonders now whether Cyberlife has a stash of his model somewhere down here, all just waiting to be activated and sent out to accomplish its mission. Do they think like him? Act like him? Would they have made the same choices he had? Or something entirely different?

He shakes the thoughts from his head, instead forcing himself to focus on the task at hand as he grabs the androids arm. He lets his skin peel away, revealing the white plastic underneath as he begins the conversion, flooding his thoughts and feelings into the android before a sound catches his attention. A footstep. Multiple footsteps.

The conversion stops as a voice echoes through the room, a voice that Connor recognizes because it's none other than his own. "Step back, Connor!" The other RK800 yells, coming out from the shadows, "and I'll spare them."

Them? Connor turns, eyes widening when he sees the RK800 standing in the centre of the aisle, one arm outstretched with a gun pointed at Hank while the other arm is wrapped around Cole's neck, keeping his feet from touching the floor. Cole's eyes are red, tear stains running down his cheeks as he kicks his legs at the RK800. The android, however, doesn't seem fazed at the action. It simply tightens it's grip, forcing the boy to stop lest he makes the RK800 tighten its grip further. Hank scowls at his fake partner, eyes both worried and angered as he watches the android hold his son. "Sorry, Connor!" Hank calls, "thing's your spittin' image."

Connor remains frozen in place, hand still gripping the AP700's arm. He feels his thirium pump race as he stares at the scene in front of him. He doesn't know how to respond, doesn't know what to do as the fear starts to envelope his mind. He can't let Cole or Hank get hurt. He doesn't want to see them fall lifelessly to the ground like the people in the broadcast tower. He knows he should calm down, knows that he's overworking his systems as his mind starts to pre-construct all the ways he can go about the situation, but he can't. That crippling fear won't let him. His LED continues to swirl red, his mind keeps racing as he analyzes and reworks the statistics of the situation. None of the numbers come out favourably and perhaps that's because his systems are overheating, but Connor isn't willing to risk anything with Hank and Cole's life on the line.

"Your friends lives are in your hands. Now it's time to decide what matters most! Them, or the revolution." The RK800 gestures with his gun, weapon inching just slightly closer to Hank's head.

Connor can see the way Cole tenses as the gun is pressed closer towards Hank. He hears the chocked whimper from the boy as he tries to reach out to his father, but RK800 pulls him back roughly. "Hey!" Hank yells, trying his best to contain his rage, "he's just a boy! You don't have to be so rough with him!"

The RK800 just sends Hank a sideways glance, not even bothering to reply as he waits for Connor to give his answer. Connor sees the desperation in the Lieutenant's eyes, sees the way that he yearns to attack the fake only to hesitate whenever he sees the gun pointing at his head. He catches Hank's gaze, seeing that pleading look being sent his way. "If I surrender," Connor starts, trying to keep his voice from quivering, "how do I know you won't kill them?"

"I'll only do what is strictly necessary to accomplish my mission. It's up to you whether or not that includes killing these humans."

"No, please! I-I don't want to die..." Cole cries, tears flowing from his eyes and for a brief moment Connor sees something else. He sees the little girl on that rooftop, Daniel pointing a gun to her head as they dangle near the edge of a building. Back then, Connor couldn't have cared less about what happened to Emma. To him, she was a mission. An assignment. It was either a mission success or a mission failure. She was data, a piece of information that would help him enhance his performance. Now? Now, he feels the fear in his chest as the other RK800 holds Cole in his arms. He can register the gravity of the situation, understands the stakes of failure and how it was not an option. He glances over to Hank, knowing how much the Lieutenant cares for his son and how he would do anything to keep Cole safe.

"Nobody's going to die," Connor reassures the boy, trying to give him a calming smile. "I'll keep you safe. You have my word."

Cole sniffles and nods, putting his trust in the detective as Connor slowly steps back from the AP700s with his hands raised. "Alright, alright," he says, as he tries to come up with a plan, "you win."

The other RK800 doesn't miss a beat. He changes his target, shifting his aim from Hank to Connor. Cole cries out while Hank lunges forward, wrestling for the gun in the android's hands. Connor can feel time slow as he weighs his options. He can continue the conversion, more than likely letting Hank and Cole die, or intervene. He picks the latter in a heartbeat. He won't make the same mistake twice.

Connor races forward, first wrestling Cole out from the android's grip before tackling the RK800 down to the ground. The gun is still in the android's hands and he quickly kicks it away, watching it skid across the floor. Connor can only hope that Cole and Hank are both a safe distance away as he turns his attention back to the other RK800. Connor races forward, using whatever skills he has at his disposal to take down the other android. However, no matter what he throws the other RK800 is able to match the move. They remain in a deadlock, neither able to do much damage until a shout causes both to stop.

"Hold it!" Hank yells, gun trained on both Connors while Cole hides behind the Lieutenant.

Both the Connors stand slowly, watching the gun that Hank has trained on them both. "Thanks Hank," the fake says, trying to move away from the gun's line of fire as subtly as it can, "I don't know how I'd have managed without you."

Connor, however, has his eyes on Cole. He looks the boy up and down, giving both him and Hank a quick scan to make sure they're both unharmed. Thankfully, he gets the all clear. Aside from a few bumps and bruises there seems to be no further injuries. Connor lets out a breath of relief, an action he had learned from Hank, before turning his attention back to the issue at hand - the gun being pointed at his head.

Hank looks between the two androids, trying to spot anything that would help him pinpoint which Connor is their Connor, however no matter where he looks they're identical. Mirror images. The only detail that's different is the serial number printed on their suit, but Hank had never taken the time to memorize that damn number. Cole cowers behind his father, gripping tightly onto Hank's jacket as he tries to distinguish between the two androids.

"One of you is my partner," Hank says behind a scowl, "the other is a sack of crap." He moves the gun between the two, squinting at the pair.

"But which one is which?" Cole asks, peeking out from behind Hank. "Maybe we can ask them a question?"

Hank glances down at Cole, apparently stumped for ideas. "Uh, where did we first meet?"

Before Connor gets the chance to reply the other RK800 rambles off the answer, sending Connor a smirk as it sees the look of panic on Connor's face.

"He uploaded my memory," Connor says aloud, making Hank and Cole both turn to look at him. "He'll know everything that I know. It won't work."

Hank looks between the two androids again, still at a loss for what to do. Connor tries to come up with a solution himself, trying to find a way that he can prove to Hank that he is indeed the real Connor when Cole moves out from behind Hank.

Cole looks up at the two androids, a gleam in his eyes that reminded Connor of Hank whenever he solved a case. "Your coin," Cole says, looking between the two androids, "which one has Connor's coin?"

The other RK800's eyes widen, apparently not having prepared for this scenario. Connor smiles, pulling the coin out of his pocket to show Cole, who grins back widely at the familiar object. Hank returns the smile, turning his gun towards the fake except he's too late. It's not until the other android starts reaching towards Hank that Connor notices the slight steps forward it had been taking, inching closer and closer to the Lieutenant while they were debating the best solution until he's close enough to reach for the gun. Hank fires a series of shots, however only one makes contact on the android's shoulder before the RK800 tears the weapon from the Lieutenant's grip and shoves the man back. Connor sees the android prepare to aim the gun, except he doesn't aim at Hank. He aims at Cole, glaring at the child in annoyance as he marks his target. Connor races forward, every part of him focused on one thing: saving Cole.

He places himself between the android and Cole, feeling numerous shots pierce through his body as the other RK800 fires. Warnings immediately fill Connor's vision, informing him of damaged biocomponents and of his imminent shutdown. A timer ticks down, the numbers dropping rapidly as his vision starts to glitch. He ignores it all, forcing his body to move and grab the weapon from the other Connor before firing it into the android's forehead. Point blank. He watches it collapse to the floor, body still and lifeless as it finally shuts down.

Connor finds his legs giving out as more warnings start to fill his vision. He drops to his knees, the timer still ticking away, counting down the last minute he has before everything would go dark.

**Time Remaining Before Shutdown:**

**-00:01:12**

For once the timer didn't scare him. As the numbers drain away he doesn't find himself panicking, doesn't find himself desperately searching for an escape. Instead he feels content, happy that both Hank and Cole are safe. He turns to look at Cole, finding the boy standing behind him with his eyes wide and flecks of blue blood on his face. Hank is beside him instantly, turning the boy around to look him up and down. "Are you alright, son?" he asks, voice strained, "Please, tell me you're alright."

Cole doesn't say anything. He just turns to look at Connor, eyes following the way the blue blood trails down his back from where the bullets hit. "Connor..." he says, voice barely above a whisper as he inches closer towards the android, "Connor, you're hurt."

**Time Remaining Before Shutdown:**

**-00:01:03**

"It's okay," he says, smiling softly. He reaches his arm up, gently running a hand through the boy's hair. "All that matters is that you're safe."

"Connor..." Hank says, eyes falling to the wounds on his chest. "You..."

Connor turns to look at Hank, seeing the pain in his eyes. "I'm glad you're both safe," he says, finding his voice start to break as his systems slowly begin to fail.

"I-it... there has to be something we can do. We're in Cyberlife aren't we? There has to be some sort of spare part around here or-"

"Lieutenant," Connor says, making Hank turn to face him, "can you pull me closer to the androids. There's still something I need to do."

Hank glances over to the thousands of androids in the warehouse before turning back to Connor. "This isn't the time to-"

"Please, Lieutenant," he says, looking over to the androids standing there, waiting. "Let me fix my mistakes."

With a reluctant look Hank helps Connor up, bringing him over to the line of androids. Connor reaches out, grasping the arm of an AP700 to continue the conversion. He closes his eyes, flooding everything into the connection, showing the android everything he's ever felt. He shows his fears and his hopes, his days in the station and his days with Hank and Cole. He smiles as the memories flow through him, as he remembers everything that he experienced all over again. He shares them all, showing the androids all that he's been through so that when they wake for the first time they'll understand that they are free and that they can feel. 

**Time Remaining Before Shutdown:**

**-00:00:36**

He lets his hand drop and his body slump down against Hank as the conversion finishes. He feels Hank setting him down on the ground, cradling his head in his arms as Cole comes up beside them, tears in his eyes. "Connor? You'll be okay, right?" he asks, voice hoarse.

Connor just smiles, his vision starting to fade as his systems begin to shut down one by one. "I don't know," he says, head lolling to the side so he can meet Cole's gaze, "maybe a hug will make me feel better?"

Cole wraps his arms around the android's neck, sniffing into the android's shoulder as he clings on as tightly as he can. Hank runs a soothing hand up and down his son's back, trying to keep his composure as Cole cries, however Connor can see through the facade. He sees the pain in the old man's eyes, sees the tears he has to fight back as he watches Connor slowly break down. Connor wants to reassure the Lieutenant, wants to let him know that even if he shuts down he has no regrets, but he knows that's a lie. He does have regrets. He regrets not being able to keep his promise to Cole. He regrets not being able to help Hank solve any more cases. He regrets not being able to do all the things he was never able to do, but he doesn't say any of it. He keeps the thoughts to himself, choosing to just smile as he watches the numbers reach closer and closer to zero.

**Time Remaining Before Shutdown:**

**-00:00:13**

"Connor," Hank says, head hanging down as he looks into the android's eyes. He runs a hand through Connor's hair, smoothing down the lock that always refuses to stay in place. "I- god... I can't believe I'm saying this to an android..." Hank looks away for a moment before turning back, "Thank you. I'm glad you were my partner."

Connor smiles, raising an arm up as he gestures for the Lieutenant to join in on the hug. At first Hank just scowls at him, looking away before apparently deciding otherwise. He leans down, tugging both Cole and Connor into a warm embrace. Love and family. Two things that maybe Connor finally understands. He closes his eyes, feeling content as the numbers finally reach its end.

Three.

Two.

One.

Zero.

Connor's eyes remain shut, his LED turning one last time from red to yellow to blue then to nothing. The light switches off and his hand goes limp, dropping down from its grip around the only two people he considered family.

Cole is the first to feel Connor's arm go slack. He looks up, his tears having long run out as he shakes the android's shoulders. He calls out Connor's name, over and over again as he clings to his jacket, wishing the android would suddenly open his eyes and smile at him. Connor doesn't. He remains still. Silent and unmoving as the last of his machinery stops.

Cole turns to Hank, crying into the man's arms as the Lieutenant stares down at the body of his partner. He rocks his son back and forth, trying to sooth him as best he can while trying to keep his own mind from breaking apart. 

They ignore the sounds of the waking androids, ignore the rush of guards that come down only to find thousands of deviants waiting for them. They ignore everything around them. All they can do is silently mourn for the android they loved. 

 


	7. Take Me Home

The bell rings and the students all start to chatter away, ignoring the last bits of information the teacher tries to throw in as they scramble for their bags. The teacher just sighs, not bothering to continue as the children begin to file out of the building, excited for the weekend and all its new adventures. 

Cole is the last one to pack his bags. He slowly stuffs his worksheets and pencils into the backpack, eyes sad as he throws it over his shoulder and walks out the door. His finger plays with a coin, Connor's coin, as he trudges slowly down the hall, shoulders drooping and head hanging low. He always dreads the end of the school day. Always hates seeing all the students run up excitedly to the androids that had come to take them home.

Even after Markus had won the revolution two weeks ago and attained freedom for the androids some chose to remain with their owners. After all, not all the humans had treated their androids poorly. The humans that didn't were happy to see their androids return home and had welcomed them back with open arms. Cole only wishes he could say the same.

He walks out the door, staring down at the coin rolling across his knuckles as the other children run past him, calling out the names of their androids or parents as they dash towards the front gate. Cole doesn't look up as he heads out the door, doesn't even look when he hears someone call his name. He just keeps walking, keeping his focus on the coin moving across his knuckles until someone bumps into him from behind, knocking the coin from his hand.

"Oops, sorry!" the girl says before rushing past him and into the arms of her android.

Cole doesn't have the time to be angry, doesn't even acknowledge the apology as his eyes start searching the ground for the coin. He can't have lost it. He can't. That was Connor's coin. The coin the android always fiddled with, the one that reminded Cole of everything that happened. He can't lose it. He just can't!

"I think you dropped this."

Cole turns, eyes wide as he finds Connor standing behind him, a smile on his face as he holds the coin out to him. The android looks to be as good as new. He's wearing his usual uniform, as clean and proper as always. His hair is neatly combed back save for the single loose strand that never stays put. The bullet wounds are gone, much to Cole's relief, but despite the sight in front of him he can't believe what he sees. He rubs his eyes, wondering if perhaps he's hallucinating only to find Connor still there. Still smiling at him with the coin in his hand.

"I promised I'd come back," the android says, crouching down beside the boy to deposit the coin in his palm. "And I see you made progress on those coin tricks."

Cole has to fight the tears that threaten to spill from his eyes. He wipes at them with his coat sleeve, hoping that no one around him can see, but when Connor moves to wrap his arms around him the dam breaks. The tears come down. They continue to come even as people begin to stare, but at this point Cole doesn't care. He's just happy to have the android back with him, happy to have Connor back alive and well.

Cole leaps into Connor's arms, refusing to let go even as the android gets to his feet, holding the boy in his arms as he pats Cole on the back. Cole buries his face into Connor's shoulder, hands clutching tightly at the detective's suit as Connor carries him over to Hank's car. Cole glances up just long enough to see Hank leaning against the car door, a soft smile on his face as he opens up the door to help them in. He doesn't pay attention to the explanation Hank gives him about Connor's return. All he hears are snippets of words. Something about a Kamski and memory uploads. Whatever it is Cole doesn't care. All he cares about is that Connor is home and hopefully is here to stay for a long time to come.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoyed the story! I had lots of fun writing this so I hope everyone had just as much fun reading it. :) 
> 
> I'll probably start a one-shot series that takes place in this AU (since that was the original intent of this AU). It'll most likely just be fluff of Hank, Cole, and Connor so if you're interested be on the look out for it :)


End file.
